Follow the ruby slippers
by Azkadela
Summary: Hayley Glinda Gale was known though out town to ba a clumsy little slip of a girl, who asks stupid questions and always showed up to class with straw in her hair and a little dog yapping at her feet. Her mother and grate uncle Henry did their best for her, but it's hard with no Father there to help. Follow Hayley on her journey to OZ as she uncovers the secrets of her mother's past
1. Chapter 1

The Memories

" I just don't know what I'm gonna do with you miss Gale, this is the fifth time you've been sent to my office in a fortnight, when are you going to learn not to disrupt miss Gulch's lessons with your silly questions" said Hayley's headmistress with a disappointed frown on her face.

"In my defence Mrs Anderson, I though it was a reasonable question to ask in a geography class" said Hayley with her head held low.

"Why is the ocean near the shore? is not a reasonable, onistly Gale your an intelligent girl with a bright future ahead of you if you grades are anything to go by, and yet you continue to ask silly questions like, why is the sky dark at night? or why can't animals talk for themselves? You'd think you had know brains at all." Mrs Anderson said in a huff.

"I'm sorry Mrs Anderson, it's just well, when I don't know the answer to a question I ask, I didn't know it was upsetting anyone" said Hayley who was close to tears at this point. She hated being called stupid and told she had no brains, all her life her passtion was to learn and for the most part she was a very smart girl, but sometimes when a question popped up in her head she just couldn't help herself.

...

She made her way home that day with a sad feeling in the pit of her stomach. A small black dog trotting along by her feet. Toto was the only confident that the 8 year old had, he had been there for all of her life, and according to many he had even been around when her mother was a girl, an extraordinary long life for such a small dog, but Hayley didn't really think much on this.

Every day Toto would walk to school with her, walk back home to help herd the chickens, then at the end of the day make his way over to the school to walk her home, know one new why he did this every day with out fail but many thought it was adorable how protective he was of the child of his mistress.

As they got to the gate of the farm, Hayley bent down to give him a fuss.

"You don't think I'm stupid do you Toto?" She asked as he liked her hand and gave a soft yap.

"Ha thought not" she said with a smile.

"HAYLEY!, Hayley is that you honey?" Called a voice from the farm house.

"COMEING MAMA" she called back befor she and Toto ran into the house, where Toto promptly went over to his mistress and lay down at her feet as she worked at the stove.

"Hi mama" Hayley said as she looked at feet.

Dorothy turned to her daughter with a beautiful smile on her face, smoothing the wrinkles on her sky blue dress that reached to the floor.

"Hay baby, what happened today, you tuck your time getting home?" She said as they both started seting the table.

"Nothing" Hayley said, but hesitated as her mother gave her a soft knowing look. She sighed knowing she couldn't hide anything from her, she made her way over to Dorothy and hugged her around the waist.

"Miss Gulch didn't like the question I asked in geography today and sent me to the office" she said as she snuggled up into her mother's embrace.

"Well what did you ask?" Dorothy said as she rubbed her child's back confusingly.

"Why is the ocean near the shore?" She said

Dorothy's breath hitched as tears suddenly thretedned to fall.

"Well that's not an unreasonable question to ask, don't pay her any mind ok, shes just grouchy cus a house fell on her sister" she said as her little girl giggled.

When ever someone upset her, her mother would always use that term of Frase, and it always left them both giggling.

" now why don't you and Toto head out and get Uncle Henry in for dinner ok sweetie" said Dorothy as she turned back to the stove.

"Ok mama, come one Toto" said Hayley as she and the dog ran out the house insect for her grate uncle.

...

The farm was old but small, smaller than it once was, but after many storms over the year a lot of it had to be sold of, just to make ends meet. They only had one crop field, two pigs, a two cows and a coop full of chickens. Unfortunetly they couldn't afford to pay any farmland to help out eather, so the majority of the work was now done by Dorothy and her aging Uncle Henry who was now grieving widower. Unfortunetly do to the sercumstances with the farm and helping to raise he grand neace, Henry had nearly any time to truly grove for his late wife Emily.

It was at this point in time that Henry was currently mending the farms picket fence, the wind was picking up and he was just debating on weather he shore head on in, when a small little bundle of joy came corering out the house over to him, not befor promptly griping over her own two feet and falling into his arms.

"Hay little lady, watch you self there" he said with a smile, she always made him smile much like her mother before her, in fact he would count it as one of the best days of his life when her mother came, home after years of being presumed dead, with the little bundle of joy clutched in her arms, next to his wedding day, and dorothy's first birthday with them since her parents death, the year she was given Toto.

"Sorry uncle Henry, mama said it's time for dinner though" she said with a smile on her face.

"Well let's go, I was about to head on in anyways, looks like a storms browing" he said as he talk her hand and they mad their way indoors.

...

That night after dinner, Dorothy was tucking her daughter in for the night, the wind was whistling wildly outside rattling the window pane.

"Mama?" Hayley said as her mother smoothed the covers of her bed.

"Yes honey" she said

"Can I see what's in your treasure chest again" she said using a talent she had learned from Toto over the years, the puppy dog pout.

Dorothy smirked at her childs silly face, "ok but just for a little bit, then its strait to sleep for you" she said as she left the room only to return with a larg tin box.

She set it on her lap as she sat on the bed with her little girl looking over her shoulder eagerly.

Inside to box was a multertude of old things, there were pictures and paintings, of things such as the farm, Uncle Henry with a middle aged women wearing a Pocadot dress, with a younger Dorothy in between them and Three burly farm hands at their sides, the three farmlands apered again in other photos, one of them giving Dorothy a piggy back ride as the others chested them around.

But then there were slitly more in userle objects in there, such as pictures of beautiful scenes of colour and magic, a bunch of straw the with a bit of spring, a dark green pointed hat with straw sticking out of it, even a giant lolly pop for some odd reason. But the most beautiful thin inside the box, was a sparkling pair of ruby red slippers.

"Thoughs are the magic ruby slippers right mama" said Hayley in amazement.

" that right honey, I wore thought all the way to emerald city" said Dorothy

Though Hayley was coming to the age were she wasn't quite shore if the story's her mother told about Oz were true or not, they were still her favourite stories to hear and her mother loved to tell her about it so it became there nightly ruteens every night, to take the box out and rumble through it.

"And this is the Scarecrows hat Right?" She said tacking up the floppy hat and set it on her own messy straw covered head, for some reason she always looked like she had just been rolling around in the hay all day, her teachers hated it, but her mother said it was part of her charm.

Dorothy smiled down at her daughter, carfuly brushing away some hair from her eyes.

"Your so much like your father" she said stroking the side of Hayley's face.

"Why'd he have to go? Didn't he want us?" She asked

"There was a war... and he had to protect us from it, so WE were sent away...evacuated to the farm, to be salf" she said with tears pricking at her eyes

"He loved you with every thing he had, before you were born we though we couldn't have any children, then you came along, our little miracle... Ha he could hardly put you down when you finely arrived" she said hugging her daughter to her chest.

"When can we see him again?" Hayley asked

"Soon...if it's to be it will be very soon now" she said kissing her daughter on he head, before getting up and gathering everything back into the box.

"Can I please keep the hat on mama" asked Hayley hopfuly.

"Shore thing sweetie, just be careful with it ok"

"Ok"

Dorothy then raped the blanket back around her daughter's shoulders.

"Do you want you nighty light?" She ask, Hayley shock her head and Dorothy blow it out swiftly.

"Goodnight baby, sweet dreams" she said quietly

"Goodnight mama" Hayley said with a yawn.

With that Dorothy existed the room and made her way down to the cellar to place the box back on the shelf. She sighedand clutched the locket around her neck witch held a family portrait of her self with a baby Hayley liying in her arms with straw filled man standing behind them, with one arm resting on Hayley's tiny head and the other holding her around the waist, all three smiling happily.

"Oh Scarecrow, if only you were here now, you'd be so proud of her" she said sitting down, with her tears falling freely.

...

"DOROTHY GET HAYLEY UP NOW, THERE'S A CIRCLON ON ITS WAY looks like a back one Em, you open the cellar ill see to the live stock".

"Yes uncle Henry, HAYLEY, Hayley honey you need to get up NOW, there's a Twiter on its way" Dorothy yelled

"Coming mama" shouted Hayley as she made her way out side towards the storm cellar, now clared on her own blue chequered dress, still wearing the floppy hat on her head.

She and Dorothy made there way down the steps of the cellar, wind wiping around their dresses and stud in the corner holding on to each other as Uncle Henry came down and shut to door, sighing in relef as he embraced them both.

The relef was short lived how ever as they all herd the frantic barks of a little black dog from outside the storm shelter.

"TOTO!" cried Hayley as she shot out of her family's arms, up the stars and through the cellar door towards her little friend, the wind blowing the cellar door shut behind her.

"HAYLEY NOOOO" cried Dorothy.

"COME BACK HAYLEY" yelled uncle Henry, as he tried barging the door though with all his might.

"HAYLEY!" screamed Dorothy, now joining her uncle in trying to get to her daughter.

Suddenly everything started shaking, the twisted was right on top of them now, tears streamed down both adults faces as Henry pulled his niece away from the doors.

"MY BABY! my baby!" She screamed, crying into her uncles cheats, knowing that the chance of her child being there when the storm was over, was next to nothing.

well I hope you like it so far.

There are just not enough fanfiction like this, so I disided to write my own, feel free to nic the idea, id love to see more.

PLEASE REVIEW


	2. Chapter 2

Drop

Drop

Hayley woke to the sound of water dripping onto something. Her eyes fluttered open and then squinted a little bit when the sun court her face, when her eyes became used to the glare she sat up and looked around herself, and her heart leapt into her mouth, she was definitely not in Kansas anymore, because as far as she new Kansas didn't have a deep dark forest filed with over grown plants and ivy covered trees. Above her the sun was shining though a cluster of trees who's branches had practically been demolished, as if something had fallen through then with great force and judging by the splitting headache she currently had, that thing was her.

How did she get here?

The last thing she remembered was rushing out the seller door in the middle of a Twister to look for Toto...Toto?

"Toto!" She cried out getting to her feet carefully.

"Toto where are you?! Toto!" She yelled

" .bark" came a little bark from behind her.

She turned and held out her arms for the small dog as he ran into them.

"Toto thank goodness, I thought you were to for good, that Twister was a terrible way to travel" she said hugging him close.

"Tell me about it, the last time I traveled by Twister I was in a house, traveling with out one is way worse" said the little black dog.

Hayley blanched and quickly dropped the small dog on his feet and backed up a little.

"Toto you can talk!?"

"Yes... so can you" he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

" but...but you can talk" she said still trying to get her head around the fact that her childhood guardian who back in Kansas couldn't make any sound other than small little yaps, was now talking like a fully grown man.

"Yes... I can... " he said slowly as if to a toddler learning to speak.

" and it's a good thing to, or else you wouldn't have the foggiest idea where we are missy" he continued whilst sniffing around.

" but... but... wait what do you mean? where are we?" She asked as her heart started to calm down a bit now.

"Wow... for a smart kid you shore know how to act dum, think about it kid, what is the one place you know off that has dark forests and talking animals" he said

Hayley thought about it, there was only one place that fit his description, but that was impossible

"OZ?" She asked

"Ding ding ding we have a winner! Yes OZ" he said still sniffing for danger.

" but OZ isn't real, it's only a story Mama likes to tell me at bedtime" she said in disbelief.

" does this look like a story to you, do I sound like a story, or does that bump on your head feel like a story to you?" He said turning back to her.

" Well no but, that means..."

" we're not in Kansas anymore, no we're not, this is very bad we weren't supposed to return here until it was safe but judging by the district smell of darkness I'd say the war is still not over yet" he said eyeing their surroundings as though they were going to de attacked at any moment.

" war what do you mean war, isn't OZ at peace now that the witches are gone?" Asked Hayley as she sat down by the little dog.

"What war!? Oh that's right Dot didn't tell you any stories past our first visit here, well to fill you in very quickly OZ is currently at war with the Durine, a collection of the darkest creatures of Oz who are set on destroying the people of Oz at all costs" he said in a grim voice.

"But what do you mean "we weren't supposed to return" or "first visit" I though you and Mama only came here once?" She said confused.

" oh dear this will take some explaining, you see sweety you wher..." but her pursed

" Hayley when I give the word I need you to run in the opposite duration to me, got it" he said urgently.

" What Why?" She asked in fear.

" Don't ask questions Hayley just do as I say" he said firmly

"But..." she started but Toto cut her off.

" don't argue with me Hayley, as your guardian and protector I am ordering you to run, now do as I say now and run! " he shouted

" What?"

"RUN!"

And with that she ran, what else could she do. In the distance she heard the harsh barks and growls from her mother's faithful hound, coupled with snarls or something very inhuman.

She didn't look back, she was to scared to, she didn't want to see what it was that had coursed Toto to be so fierce. Soon after what falls like running a marathon to her short clumsy legs she came to a halt next to a large tree. The woods where silent now, there was no sound of a struggle coming from where she had come, she looked round the tree and sore nothing, not dark monster coming to get her, but also no little black dog ether.

She thought maybe she should go back and help Toto, but what could she do but get in the way, she was far to clumsy to fight properly and far to small to be of any use, she sighed ready to except defeat when suddenly she herd the snap of a twig coming from the other side of the tree, her heart was in her mouth, someone was here, and that someone was right on the other side of the tree she was hiding behind.

She breathed deeply in almost a pant.

 _right_ she thought.

 _No use hiding here, Toto isn't here to protect you now_ she thought as she picked up a large fallen BRANCH and brandished it like a sword.

 _I really hope its just a small monster, be brave Hayley_ she thought to her self as she leapt out from around the tree to face the terrifying beast.

"ahhhhhhhh!" She yelled

"ahhhhhhhhh!" it screamed back before swiftly leaping behind another much thinner tree that really didn't hide them very well.

She dropped the branch in shock, this beast was not a beast at all, from what she could see of him peeking out from the thin tree, he was a lion cub, a small gold lion cub who stud on his hind legs and was just barely taller than her, which wasn't saying much as she was very small for her age.

She slowly tuck a few steps towards him leaving her branch discarded on the forest floor.

She quietly peeked around the tree he was hiding behind and gently asked.

"Are you hiding from me" in the sweetest voice she could muster.

"I... well...I... no I was just um I just didn't want to scare you" he said coming out from behind the tree sheepishly, blushing madly.

She giggled slightly before asking "are you a lion cub?"

"well dur, I mean, yes, yes I am, and your a human cub right?" He asked as she nodded.

"Wow.. I've never seen a human cub before" he said getting on all fours and circling her before sniffing at her hair as she sat down next to him.

She giggled and push his muzzle away.

" I haven't ever met a lion cub ether so I guess we're even then" she said

He smiled and laughed " I guess so, what's your name?" he asked

"Hayley, what's yours?" She asked

"Leo, not very imaginative I know, but you can blame that on my dad" he said

" I thing Leo is a really cool name" she said pating his back.

" Well that must mean I'm a cool guy then" he said smugly.

" What are you doing out here in the middle of no where?" She asked him.

" Well I was looking for my dad, he went out scouting and I really wanted to come, but I got lost, then I heard some really creepy sounds and hid... I mean positioned myself in a vantage point behind that tree and then bumped into you, what about you, no human has set foot in the forest in a long time, what are you doing here?" He asked in return.

"we me and my dog... friend" she said quickly so as not to offend her new friend.

"...got stuck in a Twister and landed here by accident, then we got separated then he told me to run and something attached us, so I ran and hid behind that tree, then I found you" she said.

"Wow that sound really scary...for you I mean...not that I think your a scardy cat or any thing but...well I mean...wait what do you mean Twister..." but suddenly he was cut of by some very sinister giggles "ohhhhnoooo..." he said before suddenly out of the trees rolled a gang of long armed Gray skinned men with wheels for both feet and hands.

They laughed hysterically As they both circled the two frightened children.

" What are they?" asked a scared Hayley, as she huddled close to her new friend.

"Wheelers" he said in a voice full of fear.

" Well well what do we have here boys, some little cubs here to play with use" laugh the leader with a high pitched voice as his gang all joined in.

" and what's this" said another from behind as he grabbed Hayley by the hear, sniffing at it in his hand.

" A pretty little farm girl out to play" he said laughing.

"HAY you leave her alone!" yelled Leo as he swiped at the wheeler holding Hayley captives face with his claws coursing him to let her go with a yelp off pain.

" ahhh looks like the little scardy cat has some bark, let's see if it's as bad as his bite" as he and his gang started to back them up against a thicket of thorns.

"you leave us alone!" yelled Leo as he stud in front of a cowering Hayley protectively, letting out a small roar in the presses.

This only coursed the wheelers to laugh even more.

"you call that a roar... come on you can do better than that, roar like you mean it boy!" said the leader.

Leo opened his little mouth to let out another attempt when suddenly a louder and much more impressive roar echoed though out the wood.

The wheelers where only able to utter a quick "oh hell" be for they were all pounced upon buy a much bigger and much scarier lion, than they were currently tormenting.

Both Leo and Hayley watch in awe as the fully grown lion ripped his way through the scattering wheelers, with such ferocity it would make even the braves warrior turn tail and run.

He let out another loud roar as the surviving wheelers rolled away into the woods.

" YEAH YOU BETTER RUN YOU LITTLE WANNABE SCOOTERS, I CATCH YOU ANYWHERE NEAR MY CUB AGAIN, I'LL tear you stupid wheels from your limbs and HIGH FIVE YOU FACE WITH THEM" he yelled after them in a, what sounded to Hayley like a thick Brooklyn accent.

"DAD!" cried Leo as he ran over to the older lion and started nuzzleing him in the side for comfort.

" you are in big trouble, young male" said the lion as he nuzzled his sons head, licking his fur affectionately.

"What were you thinking, sneaking away from the pride, fallowing me into the woods, and not even doing a very good job of it, I came back to find you mother in tears, she thought you'd been snatched, your mother is worried sick" he ranted as Leo hung his head in shame.

"I'm sorry Dad, I just really wanted to watch you fight the bad guys" he said saddly.

"yeah well you got that wish didn't you...(sigh) ... come on let's head back and hope your mother doesn't bite both our tails off for your misbehaviour" he said bending bond to tack his son scruff between his teeth, only to have Leo wriggle out of his grasp.

" What dad, we can't leave with out my friend" he said making his way other to a still curled up Hayley.

"friend?" asked the lion as he got up on his hind legs and made his way over the the two kids.

"well, your a sweet little thing aren't yu... what's a little sweethearts like you doing here in the middle of the woods, where are your parents kid" he asked crouching down trying to seen as less threatening as possible.

"I don't know... my friend and I got attact and I ran, then I bump in to leo" she said feeling a little less scared than before.

The lion laughed, "my boy didn't scare you did he"

" no ha I think he was more scared than me" she giggle

"I was not!" Leo said indignantly

"but he was really brave standing up to toughs wheely things for me" she said quickly trying to make him feel better.

" Well that good to hear" said the lion as he rubbed his son's head with his paw, a proud smile on his face.

" Well why not give me your name kid then I can try and help you find you friend, my name's Lion by the way, king of the jungle, not a very imaginative name I know, you can blame my father for it" he said

She laughed as she stud up adjusting her floppy hat before curtseying.

" My name's Hayley, Hayley Gale" she said smiling.


	3. Chapter 3

Lion's jaw dropped.

No, this couldn't be right, how could she be here.

"I'm sorry did you just say your name was Hayley GALE?!" he asked, un-shore if he had heard her correctly.

"yeah, Hayley Glinda Gale, Why?" She said curiously.

"What.. What are you doing here, you can't be here" he said in a panic, kneeling down and grabbing her not to harshly by the shoulders and giving her a gentle shack as he carried on "you were sent with your mom, oh wizard Crow is going to have a cow" he said hugging her close.

"um reminded me how I know you" Hayley said , feeling slightly freaked out by being hugged by a large Lion that she had only just met five minuets ago.

"I'm your godfather sweetheart" he said through the hug.

" What?!" She said backing up slightly.

"well one of your godfathers anyway, you other one is currently over in the West, helping to lead the resistance, which is where me and my pride are heading, escorting refugees over there for safety" he said to her in a calm voice. "but I still don't understand why your here, wheres you mother? You weren't supposed to come back until the war was over" he said the panic once again returning.

"Well a Twister picked me and Toto up and some how we ended up here but I still don't ..."

"A TWISTER, oh that dam witch, just wait until I get my paws on her, she is in so much..."

"DAD!" interrupted Leo, " I don't understand, you never told me you had a god daughter, who is she, where has she been all this time"

"um well, look Leo we'll all sit down and talk about this when we get back to camp, for now I got to get you both to safety" said Lion as he got down on all fours again, though he was still about half a head taller than Hayley when he was.

" wait.. What about Toto, we got attacked over there, through thoughs trees, we need to go find him" she said in protest.

"No need to worry about that... I'm right here" came the voice of the little black dog as he came trotting out the bushes.

"Toto! Long time not see brother, what happened to you to make you leave your little charge alone in the wood" said the Lion as he greeted his old friend.

"had a run in with a rather nasty Nargal, still nothing broken, you alright Hayley, I see you found one of your mama's friends, good thing to, we'd better get out of here before something else comes after us" said Toto after checking Hayley over for any injuries.

"Good idea dog, come one kids, I'd better carry Hayley as it would be quicker to travel that way, Leo you ok to run next to me" asked lion as he walked over to Hayley.

" yeah dad I'll be ok" replied Leo as he go on his all four as well.

"Don't worry Lion, I'll make shore he doesn't fall behind" said Toto as he got ready to move.

" Good, ok Hayley I want you to just sit there and tuck you arms and legs into your body and let me do the rest" he said coming up behind her as she did so.

"Ok but what are you going to doWAHH" she squeaked as Lion bent down, tuck the back of the denim overalls that she had slipped on over her nighty that night before running to the storm shelter between his teeth and lifted her up by it.

"ok" he said, voice muffled by the fabric.

"Let's go"

And with out another word they were of.

Hayley had never done anything like this before, she was now dangling between the teeth and a very big cat as their little group all sprinted off into the woods. It was probably a good thing she was being cared as she was definitely shore she wouldn't of been able to keep up on her own, she watched as the trees and thickets wizzed right past her as they moved.

"you ok up there Hayley" asked Leo as he ran along side his father.

"yeah I'm fine, I've just never travelled like this before" she said as her little body swayed back and fourth, jostling slightly as the Lion jumped over verious logs and streams.

"ha you get used to it" said the lion.

Hayley gasped as he skidded slightly to avowed a big ditch.

"please don't drop me!" She said in a slight panic.

The lion laughed "ha don't you worry about that, I've had to do this plenty of times before with Leo, and I haven't dropped him once" he said, voice still muffled by the fabric.

Soon after a few near misses and a brief stop by a stream for water, they made it through the trees to the camp sight, which was situated just underneath a large cliff face with many different sized tents dotted around, a few more lions were prowling around checking on the inhabitants of each tent to see if everyone was doing ok.

The tents were occupied by a whole array of different creatures. There were people made out of wood, sweets, China and other different materials, all walking or sitting around waiting for, well what ever it is that they were waiting for.

The lion gently placed Hayley back on the floor were Leo was sitting quietly panting after running so hard. He called one of the smaller male lions over to him

"Could you go tell my mate, that I found our cub, as well as a couple of visited besides" he said breathing heverly.

"to late sir, "She Who Must Be Obeyed" is comeing over here right now" said the young lion backing up slightly, as a large golden lioness with kind blue eyes, came marching on dawn to meet them.

"Oh dear wizard, hi honey we're home" he said a hindsight less braver than he was fighting the wheelers.

" Don't you hi honey me, now where is my son" she said before spotting both children hiding behind her husband.

"LEO! Oh thank wizard your ok," she said bending down and lifting her son into her big strong arms, nuzzerling him intently before looking at him sternly.

"Mom I'm fine" he said trying to wriggle out off his mother's strong grasp

"you are in so much trouble Mr," she said holding him out infront of her.

"how many times have I told you not to go wondering off by your self, you know very well curiosity kills the cat, honestly, sometimes you are so much like your father it scares me, you are just so..." but what he was they never found out, the lioness suddenly looked down and noticed for the first time Hayley hiding behind her husband's hind leg.

"Lion who is this human cub who looks like she's been dragged through a bush backwards" she asked curiously as she placed her son back on the ground where he sat still, trying to flatten his ruffled fur.

"Oh right introductions, umm Hayley this is my mate Leanna, Leanna this is Hayley my god daughter" said the lion bringing her out from behind him and placing a comforting paw on her shoulders.

"Hayley! As in Dorothy's little Hayley!, but she cant be here, she's supposed to be in Kansas where its safe, do you have any idea how Crow is going to react when he finds out about this, where is he mother anyway?" She asked in a rant.

"as far as I know her mother's back in Kansas, and according to Toto here they both got picked up by a twister and dumped in the woods, and we all know there is only one person who can summon a Twister to pick people up from the civilised counties and bring them back to Oz" said Lion darkly.

"you don't think... but why, what was she thinking bringing a little girl back here in the middle of a war... is she crazy!" yelled the passionate lioness.

"who knows, what I do know is that when I get my paws on her she's gonna wish she hadn't" said Lion with a growl.

"not if Crow gets there first, anyway these no use crying over spilt milk, Lion you and Toto better go get something to eat , then bring some back for the cubs, I'll take Hayley and Leo into the den for a bath, goodness knows they need one, come on sweetie, your alright now, no ones gonna hurt you " she said gently leading the two children into a nice red and gold tent that was right up against the mountain cliff face, as Toto and Lion when of to do as they were told.

...

"mom stop your messing up my mane!" whined Leo in frustration from where he sat in-between his mother paws, were she lay on her stomach like any ordinary house cat as Leanna licked and groomed her son until all the mud and dirt was clear from his fur.

"well that what you get when you run of into the wood... Ok your done, Hayley sweetie your turn, come on it's not as bad as he makes it out to be" said Leanna as she gently dragged Hayley into her paws and started to groom her just as she had done to Leo.

It wasn't as bad as Hayley was expecting, in her head she had imagined the slobbery kind of licks she had often gotten from Toto, but no Leanna's tong was dry and ruff, ruff enough to dislodge any dirt and grime that had gotten onto her face and hair but not enough to hurt her, it was quite pleasant actually.

"so Hayley tell me what you know about this world and I'll try and fill you in as best I can, I couldn't help but notes how confused you've been looking the entire time you've been here, with no help from my Husband of Toto might I add" she said as she washed Hayley's neck.

" Well Mama did tell me about her first adventure here, where she met the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Lion, how she help them find their brains, Heart and Courage by defeating an evil witch and going to see the wizard. She often told me about how she missed her friends, the Scarecrow most of all, but I though It was all a bedtime story until I landed here" explained Hayley.

Leanna laughter "Well she certainly did miss the scarecrow most of all. Thoughs two were thick as thrive back then, but that's not the whole story"

Hayley sat comfortably against a drowsy Leo as the both lay in the arms of large kind lioness, "can you please tell me the rest of the story?" She asked sweetly.

"well I'll tell you what I can. Let's see, I guess it started with the crowning of a king" she began.


End file.
